Air Guard colonel cited for nearly four decades of duty

Retired Air National Guard colonel served with 109th Airlift Wing

By Terry Brown, Duty Calls

Published
8:38 pm EDT, Sunday, July 8, 2018

Colonel Alan Ross, right, 109th Airlift Wing vice commander, receives a retirement certificate from Brig Gen Shawn Clouthier, the assistant adjutant general for the New York Air National Guard, during a ceremony at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia. (Senior Master Sgt. William Gizara / Air National Guard) less

Colonel Alan Ross, right, 109th Airlift Wing vice commander, receives a retirement certificate from Brig Gen Shawn Clouthier, the assistant adjutant general for the New York Air National Guard, during a ... more

Photo: SMSgt Willie Gizara

Photo: SMSgt Willie Gizara

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Colonel Alan Ross, right, 109th Airlift Wing vice commander, receives a retirement certificate from Brig Gen Shawn Clouthier, the assistant adjutant general for the New York Air National Guard, during a ceremony at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia. (Senior Master Sgt. William Gizara / Air National Guard) less

Colonel Alan Ross, right, 109th Airlift Wing vice commander, receives a retirement certificate from Brig Gen Shawn Clouthier, the assistant adjutant general for the New York Air National Guard, during a ... more

Photo: SMSgt Willie Gizara

Air Guard colonel cited for nearly four decades of duty

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New York Air National Guard Col. Alan N. Ross of Loudonville, vice commander of the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, has been honored after 38 years of military service.

Ross, who provided leadership and management of the flying unit as well as organizing the training and equipping of unit personnel, was honored during a ceremony at the base.

The 109th Airlift Wing provides the unique capability of operating from unprepared ice and snow surfaces with two C-130Hs and 10 ski-equipped LC-130Hs.

Ross served as a command pilot with more than 7,000 flight hours, both fixed-wing and in helicopters, completing his career with the C-130H and ski-equipped LC-130H Hercules.

His military service began in 1977, when he enlisted in the Navy. Two years later, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, earning a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering in 1983. He received his wings as a helicopter pilot in April 1985.

His first assignment was as a search-and-rescue pilot flying the SH-3G Sea King at Naval Air Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. He then served as an evaluator aircraft commander on the UH-46D Sea Knight at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., deploying to the Mediterranean on board naval supply ships and providing ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore cargo transport.

At Naval Station Norfolk he held squadron assignments such as a nuclear weapons training and security officer and safety officer. In 1990, Ross became an instructor on the UC-12B and SH-3G H aircraft at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va. He also held assignments as a quality assurance officer and assistant maintenance officer. He returned to NAS Norfolk with the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1994 as an HH-60H combat search-and-rescue pilot.

Beginning in July 1995, Col. Ross took a short break from the military, working as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Albany.

In 1998, he joined the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, Scotia, where he had served as an instructor, aircraft commander and functional check pilot on the LC-130H aircraft. He has supported the wing in a variety of other roles, including Antarctic operations officer, assistant director of operations, chief of wing plans, 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, Operations Support Flight commander, and, most recently, wing chief of staff.

Ross is also a graduate the FBI Academy, the Joint Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

He has earned a Meritorious Service Medal, five Air Medals, four Aerial Achievement Medals, an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Air Force Achievement Medal, four Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Airmen advance

Ashley FitzGibbon of Saratoga Springs has been promoted to major in the New York Air National Guard during a ceremony at New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs Headquarters, Latham.

FitzGibbon has been serving as New York National Guard Equal Employment manager and Joint Force Headquarters Sexual Assault Response coordinator.

She will now serve as the personnel officer for the New York Air National Guard.

FitzGibbon enlisted in the 174th Attack Wing at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse in 2004 and served as a fuel handler. She transferred to the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia in 2007.

In 2009 she was commissioned a lieutenant and assigned to the 109th Airlift Wing as a personnel officer. She also served as the wing administrative officer and community manager and chief of information protection. In 2015 she transferred to Joint Force Headquarters.

FitzGibbon earned a bachelor's degree in social science from University at Buffalo and a master's degree in education, childhood and special education from The College of Saint Rose, Albany.

She has earned an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Air Force Achievement Medal, an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and an Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal.

Aletha Camack of Niskayuna has been promoted to senior master sergeant in the New York Air National Guard during a ceremony in Latham. Camack serves as a human resources specialist in the New York National Guard Human Resources Office.

She joined the Air Force in 2000 and transferred to the New York Air National Guard in 2005. Camack has served at the Air Guard's headquarters since 2013.

She earned a bachelor's of arts in English and creative writing and is pursuing a master's degree in English.

She has earned an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Air Force Achievement Medal, an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, an Air Force Recognition Medal, and a Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal.

News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com.